African Teams Shine in 2026 FIFA World Cup, Says Henry

Thierry Henry, a former French international and current pundit for Fox Sports, expressed his delight at the performance of African teams during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Nine out of ten African teams qualified for the tournament, with Morocco, South Africa, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Cape Verde, Egypt, Congo, and Algeria advancing to the knockout stage.

This achievement marks a record for Africa, as it is the highest number of teams from the continent to reach this stage in a single World Cup during the 32-team tournament era. Africa boasts a qualification rate of 90% for the knockout stage, while CONMEBOL ranks second with an 83% success rate, and UEFA follows with an 81% rate.

Henry attributed the growth of African football to the recruitment of dual-national players, which has enhanced the competitiveness of the teams.